


A Precious Gift

by handelgamer



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Cards, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Gift, Implied Crush, Talking, and at the request of my partner, nerds being nerds, post 5.0, pre 5.1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 03:01:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21206318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handelgamer/pseuds/handelgamer
Summary: A short while after night truly returns, the Warrior of Darkness knocks on G'raha's door.





	A Precious Gift

Things were changing. Norvrandt was free from the tyranny of Light. Finally able to rest, and smile, and breathe. They were safe. For lifetimes, they yearned for the comforting shadows, and now the world could rest and dream again.

G’raha did not expect to see this future. All he wanted was to save _her_, at any cost. And now she was safe. Syngigeim and her compatriots seemed to settle into the First as if it was to be their home. 

_ How he secretly yearned that could be the truth._

While he heard tales of what the many members of Wanderer’s League were up to, there was little said about Syngigeim. It seemed she was truly taking her rest, though, on the Source instead of the First.

_He did his best to hide his disappointment._

And then one day, he heard a knock at the door. “Exarch?” He heard Syngigeim ask. Her. Her! 

He gave a small cough, one he hoped she didn’t hear, and spoke with a commanding voice, the Exarch’s voice. “Enter.” But there was no maintaining that mask when he saw her. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the Warrior. “What brings you to me, Syngigeim?”

She snickered. “Come now. With that cowl down, there is no pretense. Call me Syngi as you did long ago, my friend.”

“Much has changed since I helped a shy, timid scholar gain some confidence to step forth on her own.” He smiled, thinking of those oldest memories of her. A timid scholar, barely escaped from the Calamity, finding that the academic haven was not as she dreamed it would be. “I’m still a bit disappointed you didn’t take up the bow. I thought I was an excellent tutor!”

Syngigiem gave a hearty chuckle at that. “Well, honestly, I think a bit of it was you came at the wrong time. I couldn’t  _appreciate _ your lessons about ‘gaining strength’ then, not when I was still trying to study everything I could at the time. Besides,” She said, giving a wry smile. “I thought for certain you were just coming onto me with that ‘hands-on experience.’”

He gave a small chuckle himself. “You, my dearest Syngi, were the one who made the assumption out of my all too innocent expression.” A sudden thought entered his head. “How is Krile? I knew she joined with the Scions, but of course...”

Syngigeim sighed softly and shook her head. “I haven’t seen her, though she knows of what happened. This whole adventure is a lot to take in, you know. Not to mention that one of her oldest friends, with whom she thought she’d nev- well, she still might not ever see you.” She shook her head. “Nevertheless, she is far afield and still doing what she can, like as not looking into bringing the Scions back out of their dreaming.”

“Any other news from the Source?”

“Strangely enough, no. All’s quiet on the Garlean front. Still that uneasy stalemate.” She smiled and said, “It’s funny. Before this adventure, the waiting just drove me mad. Especially since the Alliance forces forbade me from doing anything thanks to a certain someone…” She said, leaving a pause to all make the question into a playful accusation, to which, he couldn’t help but grin. “...so I guess in my mind the  _vacation_ is still on.”

“Vacation? Still on?” Q’hara said, tilting his head quizzically.

“Well,  apparently the Alliance leaders were concerned about my health thanks to a certain mysterious affliction that was calling everyone away. Did I mention that I nearly actually died because you called me in the middle of a battle?” Syngigeim said, folding her arms.

“I- well Alisaie did lecture me about the timing of my calls but-” G’raha was taken back. “Did...did I truly…?”

“Nearly ended your attempts at rescuing me with your – what did you call it? - fumbling hand?” Syngigeim said, expression now darker. “Trust me, I was  not pleased or trustful of your intentions ...until I  started to get the faintest inkling of what you wanted and who you were.”

“I must apologize then. I knew that tearing the hero of the Source would be difficult and imprecise...” He was actually tearing up. G’raha knew he caused hurt to Syngigeim by tearing her allies away, but to think that he nearly lost her… “I apologize for my deeds, truly.”

Syngigeim sighed. “It’s already water under the bridge. Really.” She looked askance, as if she didn’t wish she didn’t bring up that point but it slipped out anyway. “Ugh. Back to what I was going to say! The Alliance Leaders, worried about me, knowing that I have already saved and rescued nations for their sake, told me they could take care of the war and fight their own fight. Granting me rest. A  _vacation._ ” She said with a smirk. “Twas a personal joke then, as I suspected it would be anything but. But now? Now that the impossible happened and we saved two worlds, and my life, and yours? It is a genuine statement and the moment’s rest is not an anxious wait, but a welcome calm. Treasured moments not to worry for the future but to live in the here and now, if only for a time.”

“A precious gift indeed,” G’raha said with a smile. “The hero wins the day and enjoys their victory, before wending their way into another story.”

“Speaking of stories,” Syngigeim started, reaching into her bag. “The entire reason I dropped by in the first place!” She said, as she brought forth a leather notebook. “Did you wonder what my projects were for my vacation?”

“Projects? Isn’t a vacation supposed to be a time of rest?” G’raha asked, a small laugh ringing in his voice.

“Oh to be sure, I spent a few days lounging at home – I have a home in a residential district now – reading novels, drinking lots of fine wine, sorting out  _some _ of my personal relationships – but then I started on personal project number two. I keep a diary of my adventurers but this time, I thought I would write a memoir.” She said, her arm extending forward to give the book to him. “And I could use an editor and translator.”

Already he was reaching for the book. A personal memoir from the hero herself about her journey. It would be  _priceless_ . A chance to hear from her. Hear her tale her story through her words. He grabbed the  tome and she let him take it. G’raha brought it to his chest, close to his heart. “I would be glad to assist you and-” His voice cracked and tears slid down his cheeks. “...would be honored to-” He was sniffling. “-to gift this story to the world, Warrior of Darkness.”

Syngigeim was tearing up as well, but her eyes were as bright as the glimmering stars. “I  hoped you would.” She wiped those tears away from her eyes. “Shall I leave you alone to read, or shall I find some other book to read and sit beside you?”

“I would very much like that.” G’raha said brightly.

“Then I shall get to work on project number three. Learning the local alphabet. You will soon be at my mercy, Cabinet of Curiosities!” She said, with a grin and smacking her hands together eagerly.

G’raha laughed, a bright and high laugh. He could not recall when last he laughed like this. And he wondered how long it was that they both felt free and clear and happy like this. “Right, if you need any assistance, do not hesitate to ask. I look forward to our future collaboration, Syngi.” he said, relishing in this newfound purpose, the precious gift they gave each other.

“If this was project number three, what. may I ask, was the first?” G’raha later asked Syngigeim, his companion sitting slighty to the side of him, with books scattered around her.

She reached into a small pouch, and spread four Triple Triad cards across her hand. “I got into this card game and… well, long story short I’ve become a collector. I had to search for any new cards above all else.”

He gave a short laugh at that. Triad card collecting. An unexpected diversion for the Warrior of Darkness. But maybe not so far fetched. Syngigeim was surprisingly skilled at games and diversions such as those and he relished  the competition . He would have to ask for a game at some point.

**Author's Note:**

> "Syngigeim should have been with Students of Baldesion inbetween 1.0 and 2.0! Oh that means G'raha knew her BEFORE the Crystal Tower. How lovely!"
> 
> Wanted to write something like this before 5.1 dropped, basically outlining what my main WoL Syngigeim did during this downtime.
> 
> Additional projects include, "learning new culinarian recipes, actually take that tour of Norvarandt, sort out emotional trauma (like that'll ever be finished), learn a new combat job."


End file.
